Inside UAE's first Etihad Rail station in Fujairah with robot guides
The UAE's passenger train project has reached a milestone, revealing the first station of Etihad Rail in Fujairah -- providing an early look at what travellers can look forward to. A cream-and-grey palette, oversized glass and contemporary trims help render the station bright and futuristic. The interiors are characterized by lots of natural light and use the brand's trademark grey colours, as well as LED lights.
Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, and Etihad Rail Chairman Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan inspect station facilities during their visit on Tuesday. They subsequently boarded a train from Fujairah to Bathna, where officials updated them on the station's amenities, advances made in the overall network and plans for rolling out passenger services by phases.
Enticing guests with a monochrome gold-and-black robotic machine equipped with both touchscreen interaction and voice. A number of ticket vending machines in black and grey are true for travellers to pay for their trips. Tickets can either be printed or electronic format. The group sees details of the ticket and its departure and arrival time, printed on a piece of paper in the video. One can enter the platform from your ticket by using its QR code.
Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed said during the visit that the station will usher in prospects for the emirate by cementing trade, connectivity and a better quality of life for residents and tourists. He said the Etihad Rail network would also facilitate wider access to the emirate's tourism and natural assets.
Etihad Rail passenger services
Last Tuesday, a senior official from Etihad Rail also announced that the passenger services would commence in 2026 and open incrementally. Phase one sees integration between Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah. The network - once operational will connect all 11 megacities and areas, so you can 'jump' between the various far-flung emirates in relative ease.
Travelling from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah will take around 100 minutes by train, assuming no delays, versus more than 2.5 hours on the road. Time taken from Abu Dhabi to Ruwais - 70 minutes and time taken from Dubai to Abu Dhabi - 57 minutes.
Each train will accommodate a maximum of 400 passengers, with speeds up to 200 km/h and business and economy classes, as well as extra luggage room. Based on the prototypes that we know about so far, entry and exit from the train station will be controlled by a set of automated barriers, akin to what you see at Dubai metro.
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